Department of the Interior May 4, 1898

This document is from the Civil War Pension file of my third great-grandfather.  It has an amazing amount of family tree information on it.

My third great-grandparents were married on December 31, 1854 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  It was the first marriage for both of them.

I would be happy with that information, but the names and dates of birth for all of their children are also listed.  Now that's like winning the family historian jackpot!

Widow's Pension of September 13, 1909

These Widow's Pension forms are from the Civil War Pension File of my paternal third great-grandfather.  It was filed by my third great-grandmother over five years after his death.  Both forms contain the same information, but one has a crossed out note on it.  Maybe that is why they rewrote the form.

At the time of this filing, she was living at 1201 East Chelton Avenue in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  This address is different than the one she shared with my third great-grandfather.  I believe she went to live with one of her daughters after the death of her husband.

My third great-grandfather qualified for a Civil War Pension because he served in the Union Army for a short time at the end of the war.  He enlisted, at age 33, as a private in Company I of the 215 Regiment of the Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry on April 8, 1865 and was honorably discharged on July 31, 1865.

He first applied for his pension on September 2, 1890.  At the time of his death in 1904, he was receiving $12 a month.  My third great-grandmother had to file papers to continue getting the pension as his widow.

My third great-grandparents were married on December 31, 1854, the only marriage for both, and had been married for over 51 years at the time of my third great-grandfather's death.

The recognized attorney on this form is a W.V. Sickel, the same attorney that represented my third great-grandfather in many of his Civil War Pension legal filings.

Surgeon's Certificate of June 2, 1891

This Surgeon's Certificate is found in the Civil War Pension File of my paternal third great-grandfather.  This examination was completed on June 2, 1891 and was part of his original pension claim.  He qualified for the pension by serving as a Union private for a short time at the end of the Civil War.  He had enlisted in Company I of the 215 Regiment of the Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry.

At the time of this exam, he was 60 years old and living at 1416 South 15th Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He stood five feet eight and one quarter inches tall and weighed 198 pounds.

As part of his pension, my third great-grandfather was claiming that he incurred a rupture of his right side (hernia) and disease of his eyes during his service in the Union Army.  He stated, "I received a rupture while hauling powder during 1865 just previous to my discharge.  I caught cold in my eyes while at Alexandria during same year."

He appeared to be a healthy man at this exam.  It was noted that he had an inguinal hernia of his right side, which allowed a hen's egg sized tumor to protrude.  He had worn a truss for 25 years, which would have given the hernia support and relieved some of the discomfort.

His eyes were congested, with his left having conjunctivitis.  He wore glasses and was able to read relatively well with his right eye, but not his left.

Military Service

This War Department document, filed on May 22, 1891, is found in the Civil War Pension File of my paternal third great-grandfather.  He enlisted as a private in Company I of the 215 Regiment of the Pennsylvania Infantry at the end of the Civil War on April 8, 1865.  He was discharged at Fort Delaware, a Union prison camp during the war, on July 31, 1865.

Index Sheet #2

This is the second index sheet that I have found in the Civil War Pension File of my paternal third great-grandfather.  He qualified for a monthly pension from the United States Government because he served in Company I of the 215 Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry for a short time during the end of the Civil War.  My third great-grandmother is also listed on this form, as she qualified for his pension after his death.

The first date listed is May 16, 1893, when he first applied for the Pension.  It ends with a Certificate of Medical Examination on May 21, 1901.

Department of the Interior May 5, 1897

This form is found in the Civil War Pension file of my paternal third great-grandfather.  He had served at the end of the Civil War with Company I of the 215 Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry.  He enrolled on April 8, 1865 and was discharged on July 31, 1865.  During that time he served as a private and a sergeant.

Declaration For An Original Invalid Pension May 12, 1893

This form is found in the Civil War Pension File of my paternal third great-grandfather.  It was filed on May 12, 1893 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by his attorney, Samuel J. Brown, who had an office at 911 Walnut Street in Philadelphia.  

At the end of the Civil War, my third great-grandfather enlisted in the Union Army in April 1865 and was commanded by a Colonel Rush in Company I of the 215th Regiment of the Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry.  He was discharged from the army at Fort Delaware on August 15, 1865.

He stood five feet, eight inches tall.  He had a light complexion and brown hair and blue eyes.  He was 61 years old and was living at 1416 South 15th Street in Philadelphia.

He was claiming that in the line of duty while at Fort Delaware on or around July 20, 1865 that he was helping some other men with some powder.  The cart was going very fast in circles.  One of the shafts of the cart struck him and ruptured him.  He was discharged the following month and had suffered with cataract of the eye, rheumatism, and the rupture (hernia).  He was also claiming that he had contracted his varicose veins at the same time he suffered his rupture.

The time my third great-grandfather spent in the Union Army during the Civil War is the only time he spent in the military.  He was stating that he was now wholly disabled and unable to work as a machinist, his normal occupation.

Surgeon's Certificate of November 28, 1898

This Surgeon's Certificate is from the Civil War Pension File of my paternal third great-grandfather.  He was trying to get an increase in the pension that he qualified for as he had served at the end of the Civil War as a private in Company I of the 215th Regiment of the Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry.

At the time of this exam, November 28, 1898, he was 65 years old and living at 1416 South 15th Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He was receiving a monthly pension of $8, which would be about $250 today, for a right hernia, impaired vision, rheumatism, varicose veins, and senility.

I notice that my third great-grandfather's weight had gone up 38 pounds since he was examined on March 28, 1894 and he was considered well nourished at the time of this exam.

When his hernia was examined, a tumor was found.  It was the size of a hen's egg.  It was noted that the hernia could be supported by a truss.  This garment would have been worn under his clothing and would have kept any protruding tissue in place, thus helping with any discomfort.

Due to a cataract, my third great-grandfather was able to distinguish light, but unable to see any objects.

Surgeon's Certificate of March 28, 1894

This Surgeon's Certificate is from the Civil War Pension File of  my paternal third great-grandfather, who had served as a private at the end of the war in Company I of the 215th Regiment of the Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry.  This was an application for a revision to his pension, and it is the first type-written from that I have come across in the file.

This examination took place on March 28, 1894.  At that time, my third great-grandfather was living at 1416 South 15th Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He was claiming that an incomplete right inguinal hernia, impaired vision, rheumatism and varicose veins were getting worse and he was unable to do manual labor.  A welder by trade, he was not working at that time and he was being supported by his sons.  He was receiving a Civil War Pension of $6 a month, which would be around $180 today.

At the time of this examination, my third great-grandfather was 62 years old.  He was five feet, eight and a half inches tall and weighed 178 pounds, which caused the examiners to say that he looked obese.  He was also noted to be "florid looking," which means he was flushed.  His hands showed some evidence of work.  These are some great details that help me put a picture to someone I have never seen.

He wore a truss for his inguinal hernia and was convinced it would protrude if he were to not wear it. An inguinal hernia occurs when tissue, like the intestine, protrudes through a weak point or a tear in the abdominal muscle.  This hernia could have been very painful.  The truss would have kept the protruding tissue in place and relieved some of the discomfort.

My third great-grandfather also wore a muslin stocking for his varicose veins.  This would have compressed the veins and helped them to perform properly.

He had a slight creaking in his left shoulder joint, but no evidence of rheumatism in any other muscle, joint, or tendon.

One good thing he had going for him was his heart, or so it seemed at the time of this exam.  He was noted to have a heart rate of 84 while standing and 98 after doing some sort of exercise.

He wore glasses and was totally blind in his his left eye due to a cataract.  It was noted that he had another cataract forming in his right eye.

There were no other disabilities found and he had no disabilities due to any "vicious habits."

He was found to be wholly disabled when it came to manual labor due to the cataracts in both of his eyes, the varicose veins in his right leg, his age and obesity.

Index Sheet

This is an Index Sheet found in the Civil War Pension File of my paternal third great-grandfather.  The list begins on 2 September 1890, when he originally filed for his pension under the Act of June 27, 1890, which provided a pension for any veteran of the Civil War that served for the Union Army.  He had served for a short time at the end of the war with Company I of the 215th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry.

This Index Sheet lists all of my third great-grandfather's increases and requests for increases in his Pension.  The list ends with the date of 27 November 1901, with the testimony of two of his acquaintances, William White and Willet Walton, on his behalf.

Invalid Pension Form December 28, 1891

This Invalid Pension form is from my third great-grandfather's Civil War Pension File.  At the time of the filing of this form, he was living at 1416 South 15th Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He qualified for a Civil War pension because he served as a private in Company I of the 215 Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry.  He did a short term of service at the end of the Civil War, from April 8, 1865 to July 31, 1865.

As of September 2, 1890, he was receiving $6 per month from the United States government.  That increased to $8 on December 4, 1891.  He was claiming disability from a right hernia and impaired vision.

His attorney was W.V. Sickel, whose office was at 729 Walnut Street, also in the city of Philadelphia.  Mr. Sickel's attorney fee was $10 to file this form.  Ironically, this was more than what my third-great grandfather was getting as his monthly pension.  Those $10 would equal about $284 today.

Increase Invalid Pension December 18, 1899

This Increase Invalid Pension form is from the Civil War Pension file of my paternal third great-grandfather and was submitted on December 18, 1899.  He was living at 1416 South 15th Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and he was 66 years old.

His lawyer at the time of the filing of this form was James B. O'Neill, who had an office in Philadelphia.  The cost to file this form was $25, which would be about $777 today.

My third great-grandfather had enlisted in the United States Union Army at the end of the Civil War.  He served as a private in Company I of the 215 Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry.  He served from April 8, 1865 to July 31, 1865.  This short time he served during the Civil War qualified him for a pension from the government.

At the time of this filing, he had already been approved for $8 a month for an incomplete inguinal hernia and impaired vision.  He was asking for an increase in this monthly amount due to rheumatism, varicose veins, and senility.  There is also a mention of a heart problem, which was attributed to possibly being related to his rheumatism.

This request for the increase in my third great-grandfather's monthly pension was rejected in February of 1900.

Accrued Pension Form of 13 September 1909

This Accrued Pension Form is found in the Civil War Pension File of my paternal third great-grandfather.  My third great-grandmother filed this on 13 September 1909, over five years after his death.  At this time, she was living at 1201 East Chelton Avenue in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, over 11 miles from the home she shared with her husband and different than the address at which she was living when the 1910 Census was taken.

According to this document, she was awarded her late husband's accrued pension.

Soldier's Application for Increase and New Disability Form of 26 June 1897

This disability application form is found in my paternal third great-grandfather's Civil War Pension File.  It was filed on 26 June 1897 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as he was asking for an increase in his pension from $8 to $12 a month.

He was receiving $8 a month from the United States Government for a right hernia and impaired vision.  He was asking for an increase to $12 a month citing that he also had rheumatism, varicose veins and senility, and these ailments were leaving him unable to perform manual labor.

Two of my third great-grandfather's acquaintances, William S. Wilkinson and William Whitelaw, were witnesses to him signing his mark.  I know from previous documents that my third great-grandfather was occasionally unable to sign his signature due to failing eyesight and shaking hands.  The day this document was signed must have been one of his bad days.  This form is also signed with a mark by a William White instead of his signature.

My third great-grandfather and both of his witnesses lived in the city of Philadelphia, where this document was filed.  There was no relationship given between any of the men, which leaves me with some questions.  Were they related somehow?  Were they friends or coworkers? The two men were close enough that they signed a legal document for him. Maybe some answers will come with a little more digging.

Declaration For Invalid Pension 1 September 1890

This Declaration For Invalid Pension form is from my paternal third great-grandfather's Civil War Pension File.  This was filed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the city of his residence, on 1 September 1890, when he was 53 years old.  There are a  lot of details on this form that will help in later research.

My third great-grandfather, James Odgers, enlisted on 8 April 1865 in Company I of the 215th Pennsylvania Volunteers and was honorably discharged on 31 July 1865 at Fort Delaware.  He had served for the Union Army for more than 90 days, which qualified him for a pension from the United States Government.  He was asking for a pension due to a right side rupture-disease of his eye.

At the time of this filing, his attorney was W.V. Sickel.  His office was located at 729 Walnut Street, less than two miles from my third great-grandfather's residence on South 15th Street.  According to an ad in The Times newspaper on 7 September 1890, Mr. Sickel specialized in Pensions.

There are a couple things that I find interesting about this legal document.  One is that it refers to what we now call the Civil War as the war of the rebellion.  The other is that it lists a soldier's requirements under the Act of June 27, 1890 to qualify for a pension.  This is the first time I have seen them listed anywhere in my third great-grandfather's pension file.

Also, it is pretty amazing to see an ancestor's signature from over 129 years ago.

Department of the Interior

This form is from my paternal third great-grandfather's Civil War Pension File.  It is a letter to the Commissioner of Pensions in Washington, D.C. from a Mr. Mulholland in the U.S. Pension Department.  It reads:

I have the honor to report in the case of James Odgers, invalid, Act June 27, 1890, Certificate No. 700.375, that Mary Odgers, of 1416 S. 15th St, Philadelphia, Pa. was on Feb'ry 9, 1904, appointed as committee by the common please court, no 5, of Philadelphia County, State of Penna, pensioner having been adjudged a  lunatic.

So, my third great-grandmother had my third great-grandfather committed as a lunatic.  At first this sounds pretty harsh, but he was 69 years old and suffering from senility, decreasing eyesight, and rheumatism.  He may have gotten to the point where she was unable to care for him and she felt there was nothing else she could do.  He died in the state hospital less than three months later.

History of Claim

This History of Claim Form is from my third great-grandfather's Civil War Pension File and is filled with a lot of useful information.  His first and only service during the Civil War was with Company I of the 215 Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry from 8 April 1865 to 31 July 1865, just shy of a total of four month of service.

He started with a pension of $6 a month on 2 September 1890 and was increased to $8 a month on 4 December 1891, due to a right hernia and impaired vision. Those eight dollars today would be worth about $225.55.  Also, an increase of pension was accepted on 7 February 1900.

He also asked for an increase in his pension on 30 June 1897 citing rheumatism, varicose veins and senility.  And there was a pending claim under general law that was filed 16 May 1893.

Physician's Affidavit of March 30, 1893

This Physician's Affidavit is part of my paternal 3rd great-grandfather's Civil War Pension File.  It was filed on March 30, 1893.  It was 28 years after the end of the war and he was 59 years old.  His doctor was testifying in his case to get a Civil War Pension from the United States Government.

The Affidavit states:

That he is a practicing physician, and has been acquainted with the above-named soldier for about eleven years, and that for four years he lived next door to him, and for eleven years has been a near neighbor and on friendly terms with him and his family.

That after a careful examination as to his present condition, I certify as follows

He suffers from Right-Hernia, necessitating that wearing of a Tress constantly.

Total loss of sight of left eye and sight of right eye very imperfect, with continually increasing dimness of vision.

Varicose veins affecting entire inner portion of right leg from hip to ankle, and is compelled to wear a canvass jacket over same to enable him to walk.  A portion of left leg also affected with the same.

For over ten years past he has been a sufferer from swollen limbs and severe cramps caused by Rheumatism.

He was compelled to give up his business over four years ago on account of imperfect sight and being unable to walk caused by the said Varicose Veins and Rheumatism.  Has  been unable to perform any labor since.

General Affidavit of 29 May 1891

This General Affidavit, dated 29 May 1891, is one of the forms found in my paternal third great-grandfather's Civil War Pension file.  He would have signed it under oath in the presence of a notary public.

The affidavit states:

"I am the above mentioned claimant and in answer to the Department call would state that I have not been in the Military or Naval service since July 31 - 1865."

This was filed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, his hometown, when he was 60 years old - just over 13 years before his death.  At this time, he was living at 1416 South 15th Street.  His lawyer at the time of this affidavit filing was W. V. Sickel.

No. 806945

This Civil War Pension Application was filed on 21 May 1904 by my third great-grandmother, three weeks after my third great-grandfather died.  My third great-grandmother was 71 years old at the time.  It was filed by her attorney, W. V. Sickel from Philadelphia Pennsylvania.

This lists my third great-grandmother's address as 1416 South 15th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  This is the same home she and my third great-grandfather lived in at the time the 1900 census took place.  She is identified as the widow of James Odgers, who served in Company I of the 215th Pennsylvania Infantry.  This lists his death as occurring in Norristown, Pennsylvania, approximately 20 miles away from his home.

On the right of this form there are some notes that were made over the next couple of years regarding legal transcripts that pertained to the Civil War pension my third great-grandmother would receive after the death of my third great-grandfather.